Coalition set for a narrow win in lower house

Politics

Coalition set for a narrow win in lower house

by dburdon

Daniel BurdonDaniel Burdon is APN Australian Regional Media's Canberra bureau reporter, covering federal parliament and politics. He was previously a rural and general news reporter at the Morning Bulletin in Rockhampton and worked in Alice Springs for the Centralian Advocate.

ALMOST a week after more than 15 million Australians cast their votes, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull looks set to secure the Coalition a narrow majority in the lower house.

The official count had the Coalition on 74 seats to Labor's 71 and ABC election analyst Antony Green said on Friday the government was set to win 77 seats.

He told ABC Radio that Malcolm Turnbull "will continue as Prime Minister" and it was now "simply a matter of whether they have got a majority or not".

His comments came as independents Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan also promised to back the Coalition with Supply and confidence on the floor, joining Bob Katter's conditional support Mr Turnbull secured on Thursday.

Irrespective of whether the Coalition wins 75, the magic 76 seats, or more, as incumbents they retain the first right to form minority government and the backing of three crossbenchers on Supply and confidence ensures a Coalition victory.

Labor Leader Bill Shorten on Friday also said he believed Mr Turnbull was set to be returned to the Prime Minister's office but he hit out at the Liberal leader as a man without substance.

Mr Shorten said that for Mr Turnbull, it was "always just a matter of style", rather than substance, rejecting some Coalition views that the "massive swing against them was a matter of perception alone".

But Mr Turnbull, more circumspect than his comments on election night of a guaranteed majority, said there were "lessons to be learned for all concerned".

"We are taking very careful note of the outcome, we respect the judgment of the people," he said.

He said the election was not about him or any of the MPs or candidates, but "it's about the Australian people".

"We are determined to bring people together to ensure the 45th parliament is stable, productive and governing and legislating in the national interest," he said."